SriLankan pilots threaten trade union action

Tampering with recruitment process of trainee pilots alleged

By

Correspondent

PublishedWednesday, March 06, 2013

Pilots at SriLankan Airlines are threatening to take tough trade union action, in protest of what they call undue pressure exerted by top officials to tamper with the recruitment process of trainee pilots.

The Airline Pilots' Guild of Sri Lanka (ALPGSL) alleged there is an attempt by the senior management of SriLankan Airlines to lower the standards, after the selection of candidates in the current cadet pilot intake.

Minimum standards, which have been maintained for over 30 years, have provided safe travel for the public and has established the pilots of SriLankan Airlines to be of the highest calibre worldwide, the guild stated.

"In the past, the minimum standards in the recruitment process have always been met for the assessment of new cadet pilots, for the safety and high standards of the airline to be consistent," it declared.

The ALPGSL is demanding clarification from the SriLankan Airlines’ senior management about a ‘contradictory’ directive in one of the most regulated industries.

"It is our understanding that the chief pilots in charge of training, and more significantly, who have been maintaining standards, have tendered their resignation over the last few days. In view of these serious developments, the ALPGSL membership has been reluctantly compelled to take action and has been given the mandate necessary for further action, if needed, to protect the standards of the airline.

“Due to the seriousness and repercussions of such actions by the management, the ALPGSL has appealed to the government to look into these irregularities and are confident that required action will be taken," they said.